Stay In Tour Comfort Zone

Breaking a pattern, trying different things, endangering yourself,or putting yourself into a scenario that is completely new to you, won’t be easy at all but will be worthy of the time and energy you are putting into. It can sometimes feel you tiring but surely it will be satisfying. Right now you’re only stuck because you are in your comfort zone. Being in a comfort zone is a beautiful thing, so comfortable with old things, nothing new to put much effort on, but eventually, you will not grow there. You can either be comfortable and calm or become uncomfortable and grow. Learning to be comfortable with discomfort is very important to flourish in your life. Comfort zone only makes you narcissistic and mundane.

To attain a good life, you will have to fall in love with being discomfort. You need to break through the limitation to dull the comfort of staying calm. You have to let your fear go away more deeply than ever before. By breaking off this limitation you will allow yourself to do something that you have never done before; something new, something different that brings out the best in you. Something that is beyond your reach. When an opportunity comes in, you should take this as a challenge, just take it and don’t let it go. If you don’t do it or linger it, you will be stopping yourself from achieving things that you deserve and you are capable of. As human beings, we avoid things that cause pain to us and look for things that give us pleasure. If it feels uncomfortable then you are doing it right, one day you will achieve dignity out of it.

When starting something new, you may find a hitch in starting it but at some point, you may find it facile. Before even starting it, You start thinking of the final outcome of the process. This may even demotivate you to even start with something, as you already found a block in your path, and you will be nervous to start with it. Life in a comfort zone is magic, obviously, it is, but the life that begins outside your comfort zone is even more fascinating. This will bring out the most desirable things that you will ever get. Breaking your own bubble can make you positive and self-assured to become prominent. When you are not taking care of yourself in meaningful ways, like keeping up to essential needs, such as doing productive things, not having enough sleep, not keeping yourself fit, not having a proper diet, then life demands a new version of you to show up, one who is clear and confident about their things regardless of what they are now.

There is a quote that says, “ Don’t limit your challenges; challenge your limits.” So challenge yourself every time making it uneasy by pushing yourself to learn things that are not naturally into you. Most of the things seem impossible until they are done. Until and unless you won’t start the journey you won’t know how this journey would be. Dont fear of starting new things, take it as your challenge and go for it. Allow yourself to believe and perform apart from your everyday routine. Be good at making time for what matters to you the most, – especially when you don’t feel like doing it.

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Jekyll and Hyde Were Supposed To Be The Same Person

It is the year 1886, and Dr. Henry Jekyll has empowered himself to discover another side of his desires and necessities. Dr. Jekyll must uphold a status quo so without humiliating himself he successfully does so by transforming into a dwarf who is sadistic and hateful. An article by Charles Campbell of Sultan Qaboos University attempts to explain the following questions: “What does Hyde represent?” and “Why do women seem absent from the story?”. The article suggests that Hyde is a character who represents a “male sadist” (Campbell 310). The author of this article also attempts to discredit another critic who implied that there were no women present in the story when in fact, Campbell says otherwise. The women in the story are victims or witnesses of Hyde’s crime.

The author argues that understanding this is crucial because it allows the reader to see the “suppression of sexuality and the resulting sadistic behavior of men” (Campbell 310). Prior to reading this article, personally, the thought of sadistic men and the presence of women did not occur to me. However, it is my argument that these factors are important to acknowledge because it helps the reader see a different perspective of Robert Stevenson’s intentions for Hyde, women clearly serve a major role in this story, and the idea of sadism is an explanation to Hyde’s behavior. To begin with, I would like to review how this article made me look at a different perspective. When I read this story, I thought it was very interesting, and it had me hooked.

However, when I realized that Jekyll and Hyde were meant to be the same person, I was thrown completely off guard. After reading this article, I can say that the malicious activity in the story was completely insane, but now I realize it truly is all just sadism. Campbell suggests that the men of the story are all shown “as lawyers, doctors, scientists, and sadists; they are are associated with fog, lights, and interiors”. This is true as can be seen in the text as examples where it reads: “MR. UTTERSON the lawyer…”, “…Henry Jekyll, M.D., D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S., etc.,”. In another section of the story, the fog was present when Hyde interacts with the maid who lives alone. The theme and presence of sadism exists when the story says “…he was trampling his victim under foot and hailing down a storm of blows, under which the bones were audibly shattered, and the body jumped upon the roadway.” The violence of this murder shows what kind of person Hyde is and what his significance is to Jekyll and Stevenson’s intentions.

Another significant acknowledgment that the article makes is that women are very much present in this story despite some critics claims that they are not. Campbell suggests that “women are the city as sexuality, innocence, sentiment, and victims; they are associated with street life, the outside of buildings and doors”. We see a theme of weakness in the women in this story. From my interpretation the women are the victims in the story. For example, when the maid witnesses the murder of the Carew, she faints at the horror site. Throughout the entire story there are no optimistic qualities or positive roles played by females only negatives. It is quite noticeable of the prominent male role in the story. It seems that in the Victorian era the position of women exists only to be prostitutes and maids who witness murders.

The central idea of sadism is exhibited in Hyde’s behavior throughout the story. In one example the text reads “then came the horrible part of the thing; for the man trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming on the ground”. It is repeatedly noticed that Hyde is a violent character who inflicts pain on those who are innocent. Campbell’s attempt to explore the sadism presented in this story helps the reader understand why Hyde’s character was so malevolent. Stevenson represents an alternative personality of Dr. Jekyll through Hyde’s character. There are attempts to answer how the story aligns with the “id” or the “Freudian unconsciousness”. The id consciousness is solely powered by impulse where one feels zero regret for their actions.

In my opinion, Hyde is a great example of Jekyll’s id because he does not feel sorry for his actions, and he acts primarily off his own instincts. Sadism is driven by Jekyll’s id and for Hyde to be the id, he exhibits sadism. Overall, the article presents great points which I agree with. To reiterate, Campbell suggests that women indeed do play an important role in the story because they present innocence and are victims to the sadism. The article gave me a different perspective of Stevenson and why he chose to make women a minority which is normal in the Victorian era even though they are of importance to the themes. The idea of sadism is used to explain Hyde’s behavior throughout the article as well. All three of these components made this article worth reading into.

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Legitimacy, Democracy and Electoral College System

If a political institution lacks in legitimacy it will not last long. States are the foundation of governments and regimes, and use power and fear to keep order. People need to believe in the institution, or else people will revolt. When the demands exceed the legitimacy, order is in peril. There are three main types of demands regarding the state and the population (Langenbacher 2018). First, there are the demands the state places on the people. For example, taxes and having people serve in the army (Langenbacher 2018). Second, the demands people place on the state (Langenbacher 2018).

eople expect protection and for their basic needs to be provided. Lastly, how demanding life becomes. If people lose their sons to the military, they expect some type of compensation in return for the financial burden it causes (Langenbacher 2018). There are also three main forms of legitimacy. Prior to democracies, the most common was traditional legitimacy, which entails that the ruler and system is justified because that is the way it has always been (Gerth and Mills 1946: 79). Second, there is charismatic legitimacy, which is based off of a person who many people follow (Gerth and Mills 1946: 79).

Examples of this are Jesus, Ghandi, and Martin Luther King Jr. This type of legitimacy is very temporary because it usually dies with the person, but it can sometimes be turned into traditional legitimacy. Finally, there is rational, or legal, legitimacy (Gerth and Mills 1946: 79). This is based on rules and is the system the United States has with the constitution. Weber describes these as “rational rules,” which legitimate the ruler’s power as abiding by the norm (1922: 954). In this case, “obedience is given to the norms rather than to the person” (Weber 1922: 954).

In the U.S., for example, most people accept the laws and those who are elected because it is the established norm that majority rule is the least unequal for of government. We have become accustomed to obey since we see our system as legitimate. Whenever U.S. citizens question something or defend themselves, they turn to the U.S. Constitution because it is arguably the most fundamentally aspect of the American political system. Demands and legitimacy intersected in 1789 due to the French Revolution, and legitimacy has declined ever since (Langenbacher 2018).

A legitimacy deficit connotes instability. States wanted a literate population, so they could be more useful. This backfired on them, since when people become educated they stop believing in the divine right of kings and realize that God does not want them to be poor forever. Traditional legitimacy died with modernization, and once it is broken, all the king’s horses and men cannot put it back together again. Political thinkers started to look for new ways for governments to gain legitimacy because it is necessary for any successful political institution. They turned to nationalism and the creation of nations as a solution. Making people believe that their country is the best and that they should work hard to gain success for their country became a crucial part of the concept.

Trotsky, a Marxist, said, “every state is founded on force” (Gerth and Mills 1946: 78). If states use force to complete functions then that force needs to be justified with some sort of legitimacy. If there is an outcome in politics that some people are upset by, but they respect the institution and the process by which the decision was made, then there is legitimacy. However, Donald Trump, is an example of how a government leader can make a mockery of a political institution itself. It is not just a matter of people who did not like him being upset that he was elected as president, but about how little respect people have for him to serve as the leader of the free world. If a reality TV star accused of sexual assault and corruption can become president, then how can we trust that our political system can serve and protect us? Trump being elected destroyed the trust many, if not most, American citizens had for the election process and electoral college system. Without trust and respect, there is no legitimacy.

Fortunately, the state institutions in America are strong enough that they cannot be brought down by one mistake, but if this becomes a trend, the American political system may break to the point of no return. Strauss writes about legitimacy in regards to Professor Fallon’s work. He discusses how a president would face illegitimacy in 2005, and little did he know his work would have even more relevance in 2016, when Donald Trump was elected. He states, “To say that a President was not legitimately elected is not necessarily to assert the right to disregard a bill that that President has signed into law […] the claim of illegitimacy asserts that in some respect the President should not be accorded the deference he would otherwise receive: his proposed appointees will be scrutinized more closely; his legislative initiatives will encounter more hostility” (Strauss 2005: 1854).

This is exactly what has been happening with President Trump that I had to do a double take of the date the article was published. Trump’s legislation is not completely disregarded, though maybe it should be, but everything he says and does is analyzed more closely and he is not treated with the same respect past presidents have. People do not see him as having legitimacy, so they do not see him deserving their respect. Strauss also discusses legitimacy questions regarding the Supreme Court, and I again was reminded of current events because of Kavanaugh.

The fact that a man who is firstly, credibly accused of sexual assault with no real investigation, and secondly so blatantly partisan, was confirmed on pure party lines to serve as a lifetime judge on the Supreme Court baffles me. The legitimacy of the institution and the trust in the process to seat qualified individuals is gone. Gerth and Mills define a state as “a human community that successfully claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory” (1946: 78). People obey out of fear and force, but also out of respect that what is happening is just and right. They continue on Weber by saying, “organized domination, which calls for continuous administration, requires that human conduct be conditioned to obedience towards those masters who claim to be the bearers of legitimate power” (Gerth and Mills 1946: 80).

This domination should be by a ruler with legitimate reason to be in power. Hopefully the power the ruler has over the ruled is first dimension, in that everybody involved is aware of the rules and has equal opportunity to gain power (Gaventa 1980: 5). However, that is usually not the case, and the power dynamics lie in the second dimension. In the second dimension, both parties are aware of the rules, but one knows they cannot act a certain way without consequences (Gaventa 1980: 8). Those who face inequalities do as they are told because they have something to lose if they disobey.

This is what happens in United States’ elections because parties are trying to win an election, so they will refrain from certain behavior because of this. Lastly there is the third dimension of power, which is when the powerless are not even aware of the domination imposed on them, and they actually believe what is happening is to their benefit (Gaventa 1980: 11). For example, poor minorities who voted for Donald Trump because they actually believed he would help them. Rosanvallon cites a quote from Jean-Jacques Rousseau which to him implies that, “the idea that political legitimacy is not fully achieved until a regime enjoys the unanimous support of its citizens” (2011: 17). This sounds extreme, but makes sense if you think about it. Almost every American supports the system of democracy in place.

Yes, many people have things they would want to change here and there, but overall would not want to change regime types to socialism or authoritarianism. In regards to history, Marx said, “the tradition of all dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brain of the living” (year: 595). Not only do people remember the failed forms of government, but they use that memory to attempt to not have history repeat itself. Marx continues, “just when they seem engaged in revolutionizing themselves and things, […] they anxiously conjure up the spirits of the past to their service” (year: 595).

It seems he is convinced that there will never be an entirely new order. This makes sense because aspects of regimes will most likely have similarities, but what Marx was calling for was a complete overthrow of the government. Though I would argue that the United States is running with rational, or legal, legitimacy, there are aspects of the other two involved. Traditional, because we keep the voting system, electoral college, four-year term limit in place, because that’s the way it’s always been.

Presidents are elected and then re-elected because they have charismatic qualities people can get behind. Yes, they will be replaced because that is the structure of government we have, but one reason someone was elected was because he was seen as a legitimate candidate to be president. In his other work, Weber explored the “validity of a domination” (1922: 953). Not only do the people need to think the ruler is legitimate, but he does too. In most cases, leaders see themselves as “deserved” and having “superiority” (Weber 1922: 953).

Weber explains that domination needs to legitimize itself when he states, “generally observable need of any power, or even of any advantage of life, to justify itself” (1922: 953). Someone cannot just take up power and start dictating peoples’ lives without justification. People would not listen and revolt if someone used violence to oppress them and the people saw them as illegitimate. Weber states that, “without exception every sphere of social action is profoundly influenced by structures of dominancy” (1922: 941).

Legitimacy of political institutions is so profoundly important because it affects almost every aspect of everyone’s lives. People need to trust that their leader will act in their best interest because it can directly affect them and could even mean in some cases life or death for them. In return, people will respect them and abide by their laws, that they see as fair. If this relationship or mutual respect and understanding does not exist, then the regime is doomed.

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All About Academic Integrity: History, Moral Issues Etc

Table of contents

Introduction

Academic integrity is the moral code or ethical policy of academia. It means avoiding plagiarism or cheating. The term academic integrity was popularized by the late Don McCabe, who is considered to be the “grandfather of academic integrity”. Academic integrity means being honest towards research and study by approaching more towards originality, it discourages dishonesty and misconduct of knowledge.

From teaching inside the classroom, students writing assignments, scholars and universities should practice integrity. It is an important tool for one’s success and accomplishment, it should be a priority in one’s work. “Academic integrity means acting with the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility in learning, teaching and research” (Curtin’s values align with Universities Australia, 2017). Integrity means honesty and dedication to your own work.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is important in higher education because it allows the students to focus on their full potential and encourages them to work harder. It is a tool to keep the students on check to monitor their works and skills honestly. Integrity helps us to appreciate hard work and drives us to work harder. Integrity is dignity. Learning from your own understanding and acquiring knowledge through course work is beneficial because you not only learn but also gain first-hand experience of how a work should be done. Institutions are supposed to shape and mold you for a better future, therefore, you should give your best and refrain yourself from copying other people’s hard work and their ideas.

Implications of academic misconduct

Because cheating is a violation of hard work and it also takes away your ability to gain knowledge. “The International Centre for Academic Integrity defines academic integrity as a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to six fundamental values: honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage”. Any work should be done through careful planning to grasp the idea and master during the course to achieve success. Being given due credit for your own work improves your self-esteem.

“Academic Integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity, respect for other student’s dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the efforts of their works”. Being a student most of their academic work would be writing assignments and articles on varieties of topics and subjects. The best thing they can do for themselves is to produce originality and prevent plagiarism, which might cause them to drop off their semester or prevent them from getting jobs at a reputed companies after graduation.

Reflection

A student must learn to appreciate hard work so that they can produce a good work that will help them to get good grades and gain recognition. Every student should respect each other’s privacy and hard work, one should understand that copying from another person’s hard work can never help you achieve success. Every student should maintain integrity and contribute towards a better study for their future by gaining success through one’s own effort and willingness to bring a change.

Academic misconduct refers to any kind of fraud in educational institutions and universities. According to, Division of Student Affairs, Berkley, University of California, “ Academic misconduct is any action or attempted action that may result in creating an unfair academic for oneself or an unfair academic advantage or disadvantage for any other member or members of the academic community”. There are a lot of cases where a misconduct happens due to abuse of authority in various institutions.

Bribery is one of the most common academic misconduct where the authorities exchange information for money or promises the student for higher grades or qualification despite failure. Even teachers and professors accepting gifts from the students to give them a copy of question papers before the examination or giving them extra marks to pass the exam. And also leaking confidential documents in exchange for goods. A student cheating in exam is also an academic misconduct, copying form another student or a teacher helping the student to write answers correctly during exam. Plagiarism also ranks the highest in terms of academic conduct.

Every institution should have their own identity and set of rules. Teachers and professors should strictly abide by the rules and always produce an original content to guide the students for a better future. They should not take hints or ideas from other universities or school and use them as a tool to teach their students, this will result in poor performance and degrade the academic reputation.

The students’ academic record and the teachers’ role plays an important part in upholding the reputation. Therefore, the administration should take precautions and prevent any hole in the organization. According to University of Cambridge, ‘Academic misconduct, broadly speaking, is any action which gains, attempts to gain or assist others in gaining or attempting to gain unfair academic advantage.

It includes plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating, and fabrication of data as well as the possession of unauthorized materials during an examination. Every current and former student of the University is expected to understand and abide by rules of behavior which specifically prohibit academic misconduct”. The practice of using someone else’s work and solely claiming it to be yours without giving credit to the original creator would result in tarnishing the entire institution.

Every single person should be careful because one mistake could lead to grave danger. An effective academic integrity policy must be an educational issue committed to preserving an ethical culture. This is not just a list of rules and sanctions, or the needs of administrators that meet the expectations of the IB World School: the school community needs to recognize academic integrity at the heart of the strategy and assess the value of students. Acceptance of learning and future efforts: Acceptance of academic accuracy is clearly less likely to be accepted by the school community. To achieve lasting results, academic integrity policies need to be holistic, with long-term goals, and reflect how successful strategies affect many members of the school community.

Schools need to understand the context of breaking the rules rather than punishment and punishment. Taking into account factors such as the learning environment, student relationships, and students ’prior educational experiences, policy withdrawal from punishment has a limited effect at a specific angle when students try to set the context for their goals, policies do not understand this behavior or skills Unacceptable Meet their expectations Use important awareness-raising campaigns and action plans to strengthen the necessary skills and reach students But also parents and legal education: If students are not interested in the topic of integrity or misconduct, the number of events will remain the same or increase. Schools need to review current policy strategies. Politics may not communicate with each other and students may not understand the context or related interests.

For details on developing, using, and reviewing academic integrity policies, see Weg. The IB Expenditure Program Coordinator plays an important role and should understand that the IB’s educational philosophy is based on the principle of academic integrity. You need to set an example and show fair, ethical and responsible behavior. Project coordinators must maintain educational leadership and are responsible for ensuring that all educational activities are conducted in accordance with the rules, policies and guidelines set by the JHA. During the implementation of the IB program, teachers, teaching assistants, special education coordinators, librarians’ consultants and laboratory assistants are trained.

Enough to provide the best educational experience for students An important expectation of the role of coordinator is to meet with teachers, students, and parents or persecutors to explain the policy of academic integrity and answer all questions. All members of the school community should read and you need to understand the expectations. In terms of academic integrity in the school and IB, therefore, all necessary policies and regulatory documents should be easily accessible to all, especially on the school website.

As head of education, the coordinator must ensure that all rules and regulations are followed and that the IB rules are followed consistently and fairly. Working with the teacher, the coordinator is responsible for ensuring that the timetable and calendar are appropriate for students to meet the needs of the program and the educational program. The facilitator and teacher are expected to facilitate and develop classroom activities, supporting any student who has the time and opportunity to learn the skills needed by all.

The challenge for the program to overcome project coordinators should avoid any clear or real conflict of interest in activities that could cause disruption. The coordinator is also expected to decide on events related to academic violations or mismanagement, which should be reported directly to schools and JHA leaders.

If IB is perceived from the school’s point of view, suspect the student of academic necessity and provide an IB exam opportunity to prepare in preparation if the student returns to the meeting or stops complying with one of the relevant academic subjects (requirements) and requirements for usability. If a student withdraws from the subject of study, the sole medical mark of the sole subject cannot contribute to the grade if subsequent examinations are taken.

Students suspected of scientific conduct should be asked to make a written statement suspending scientific conduct. If a student opposes the need for a statement, there is no need to investigate and decide whether the student violates it if it continues; School can be written in an adult way only if the student has refused the statement. Cases of suspended scientific behavior are used by experienced evaluators from the IB Assessment Center at the Global Cardiff IB Center, which is managed by an internal committee. Their decisions are approved by the final fee committee. If the internal test cannot make a decision, the agent should refer to the head of scientific integrity.

Unforeseen and extraordinary cases will be referred to the Arbitration Committee. If an internal investigation point or final fee committee detects cases of scientific conduct, a sanction will be imposed on the subject (s). The punishment will be proportional to the severity of the incident; Further details on sanctions and readmission options can be found in the appendices to the penalty matrices.

In the case of proven evidence, JM has the right to investigate student results after publication and scientific breach of duty. That means it can be seen in any way. In the event of a subsequent breach of academic duty, you must return the subject (s) in question to the student’s focus, which will occur if the IB fee is refunded, if any. Students are expected to return their certificates and IB will release the new documentation.

Conclusion

Academic misconduct is against the rule of any institutions and therefore proper precautions are to be taken to avoid such mishaps. It is a very serious issue and the problem is taken seriously from penalties to expulsion or being jailed. Therefore, the institution should train the teachers and students to be innovative and think outside the box for their benefit in the long run.

A good institution results in being unique through lesson plans, creativity in learning and useful activities that help the students’ brain to expand and learn. Academic misconduct can have a very serious impact on your overall assessment as such one should always have clear ideas.

References:

  1. Hoffmann, D., Ahlemann, F. and Reining, S., 2020. Reconciling alignment, efficiency, and agility in IT project portfolio management: Recommendations based on a revelatory case study. International Journal of Project Management, 38(2), pp.124-136.
  2. Killen, C.P. and Drouin, N., 2017. Project portfolio management: A dynamic capability and strategic asset. Cambridge handbook of organizational project management.
  3. Kohl, K., 2016.Becoming a sustainable organization: A project and portfolio management approach (Vol. 25).CRC Press.
  4. Kopmann, J., Kock, A., Killen, C.P. and Gemünden, H.G., 2017.The role of project portfolio management in fostering both deliberate and emergent strategy. International Journal of Project Management, 35(4), pp.557-570.

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How People Have Changed the Way They Think After COVID-19

Have you ever felt like your life at work changed and everything you used to cannot be done anymore? I work for a grocery store and coming home from college from the COVID-19 to work was different, I went from being able to hug my work friends, have drinks in my workplace, and even try to help customers with any problems they have.

Now I have to wear a face mask up to nine hours a day trying to restock the shelves, having to keep a far distance from my coworkers and just doing a elbow bump, and when customers are in need of help I cannot be physically right next to them since I do not know what they have been exposed to or they do not know what I have been exposed to.

I have also had to get a second job at an ice cream store to work and get extra money to help my parents with bills since they were both taken out of work. since working through this pandemic, I believe it is not going to be easy to go back to what our normal looked like once, it will take time and different rules or even laws to help make sure this pandemic does not come back.

“Many shoppers are awaiting the day when waiting in line before even getting inside the store is a distant memory. But regardless of when that day comes, it’s likely the pandemic will transform the way we shop for food for many years to come” (8 ways coronavirus may change how we shop at the grocery store forever).

A big problem with grocery stores people is going to continue to stop up. For example, if things like disinfecting wipes show up in my store again of course I am going to by as much as I can since I was able to get them at the time. There is now curbside pick-up or devilry offered at most grocery stores. I appreciate that stores offer it now since it’s nice to see not as many older people and people have kids come into the store.

“Our research shows that there is no guarantee that life will go back to the way it was before, even after the pandemic has passed. Only 47.9 percent of all consumers plan to resume the activities they used to do outside their homes, while another 32.1 percent say they plan to do far less outside the home than they had done before” (What Life Could Look Like After COVID-19).

It is weird seeing these numbers like this because I personally do not know how much longer I can handle because just stuck in my house and then just going to work. I thought that more people would want to go outside and try to enjoy the things they could not. It is also scary to think about because if they are not a lot of people going out and business are getting less sales, things could get shut down or close. But then there is a plus to this because then there are not a lot of people going on and rising of another pandemic to happen but we ca not just live like this for the rest of our lives.

Away from my argument, people that we will not open back up and it could take a year or even years to get everything back to normal. There is also a lot of different doctors that have different opinion then others. You sit and watch the news and you sit and watch one chancel and then next chancel it talks about how the this is wrong when the other chancel just said it was right. There are also people that do not think we will ever go back to the old normal we had, and this is our new norm.

I believe it is not going to be easy to go back to what our normal looked like once, it will take time and different rules or even laws to help make sure this pandemic does not come back. COVID-19 is something we must watch every day since it changes, one day we could have low cases and numbers of deaths and the next day it is the complete opposite. Every day my own opinion on this virus changes because I work in an environment that has a case and are trying to work with it.

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Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

January 30, 2020, another normal day, or so I thought. Turned to the news only to see this “WHO declares global health emergency.” The discovery of a very deadly virus recently named Coronavirus (Covid-19).

The first outbreak we heard about was in Wuhan, China. Another foreign virus. Nothing for the USA to worry about. So, we thought. The United States of America has been referred to as a “Powerhouse,” nothing can destroy us. Right?!

On February 26, 2020, ABC News network reported: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms the first case of COVID-19 in a patient in California with no travel history to an outbreak area nor contact with anyone diagnosed with the virus. It’s suspected to be the first instance of local transmission in the United States.”

In mid-April, we found out that the first confirmed death was in Santa Clara, California on February 6th. It makes you wonder how long it was here. Was the government playing a blind eye to this? We may never know, but we do know it was the start of a very grim future for the USA. This is what I like to call Hurricane Katrina of pandemics.

The mutation of this virus started to spread like wildfire. On March 13th, our president Donald Trump declares a national emergency. A couple of days later the CDC warns us about large gatherings and suggests postponing or canceling any events requiring more than 50 people. Little did we know on March 17th, the United States was now affected by this enemy we could not see.

The president and the governors of each state started to determine what businesses were essential and non-essential. Closing all theaters, tattoo parlors, salons, gyms, malls, and restricted restaurants to take out or to go only. The shelter in place soon followed.

Businesses that were considered essential were limited to health care workers, first responders, grocery stores, convenience stores, as well as certain restaurants. The stores that remained open had a limited occupancy. To limit the exposure and curve the spread of the virus.

What we thought was a glimpse of hope. China reported no new infections 14 days after their lockdown was set in place. Little did they know a second wave was about to hit after they lifted such restrictions. March 19, 2020, Italy reports a death toll that surpasses China. Over 4,000 deaths. It led them into total lockdown.

New York is now reported as the epicenter of the outbreak in the USA, to this day they are still on lockdown. The Olympics are now postponed. Popular events started being canceled for this year. State by state the cancelations continued. The world is changing for 2020, yet we are supposed to have a 20/20 vision. Now it’s nothing but a blur.

The USA now leads the world with the most confirmed Covid-19 cases. Over 82,000 people are infected with this deadly virus. Donald Trump signs a 2 trillion-dollar stimulus bill to help businesses as well as financial aid to the hospitals.

What about schools? How is this going to affect our education? There was an article from Brookings Writing, about the risks and opportunities for education during these times.

Two examples of the risks with education are one: Distance Learning. Jim said, “The worst form of learning is to sit passively and listen, and this may be the form that most students will receive during school closures. It serves no one well, especially those who are the furthest behind.” I believe this to be a very real problem.

I know for myself, sitting at home alone, and having to focus on schoolwork is difficult. Taking away real-world learning is an extreme challenge for so many like me. My son who suffers from ADHD was and still is impacted by this. Because he depends on the specialists at school to help him with his academic studies. Example two: The poverty-stricken areas.

What about the students that cannot afford a home computer or access to the internet yet required to turn in schoolwork? They are greatly impacted during these times as well.

Vicki said, “Learning resources need to be available on every kind of device and it means, for kids who do not have access, we still need to find a way to reach them.” We need to be making sure we are keeping all our students on track with their studies so that when schools reopen, they are not behind.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is the top disease specialist, collaborated with several others on an article about Covid-19 and possible vaccine solutions. However, they made it a point that the main goal is the safety of that vaccine, and not create something that could make the infection worse.

They discussed vaccine platforms in which they concluded that “No single vaccine or vaccine platform alone is likely to meet the global need, and so a strategic approach to the multi-prong and ever is critical.” Saying that without a definite vaccine, this will not be controlled. Janssen Pharmaceuticals may have a vaccine that could work. It was shown effective in the Ebola virus.

There are approximately 5.9 million cases worldwide with almost 400,000 deaths. Will there be an end to this? Or even a cure? Face masks, social distancing, no groups larger than ten. Is this our new normal? Unfortunately, yes. At least for a while. With unemployment surging at an all-time high, and our economy crashing.

States are forced to reopen. There are guidelines set in place to ensure the safety of all of us and we just must hope that with all the precautions in place that we will not have another surge in outbreaks. One the other hand, reopening states has created a lot of controversies.

Some believe we need to stay closed for the safety of Americans, while others depend on the businesses to financially support themselves and their families. I never thought in 29 years would I see something so tragic and knowing this invisible enemy is out to destroy everyone in its path with no discrimination.

All we can do now is hope that with all the new technology we have, all the scientists working on this, and all research being done to finally make a vaccine to stop this virus before it spreads any further, as well getting back to a normal life. The life we lived where the only thing we had to worry about was raising gas prices, too much traffic on the roads, and road construction.

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The Most Challenging Ethical Dilemmas of High School’s Counselors

Confidentiality when working with families, couples, and parents of young patients can be a tricky maze of ethical standards and exceptions (Ellis, 2012). Because each situation is different, there is no hard and fast rule pertaining to ownership of medical records when there are multiple individuals involved in counseling sessions.

School guidance counselors face the same dilemma when parents request full access to their child’s counseling records. Nancy Bodehorn surveyed a group of guidance counselors at the elementary, middle school, and high school level.

The purpose of this exploratory study was two-fold: to determine counselors’ perception of the most common, as well as, most challenging issues regarding confidentiality; and to ascertain if there are differences of those perceptions across the differing academic levels. This information was then compared inquiries previously conducted over the past thirty years to analyze trends across multiple investigations.

Participants were selected through a stratified random sampling of schools in the Virginia public schools system. Three-hundred schools, comprised of 100 schools at each academic level, received surveys address to the school guidance counselor at each. Each packet contained the survey, full disclosure of the study, and letters of consent. Of the 300 surveys mailed, 92 school counselors completed and returned the survey.

Approximately half of participants included anecdotal evidence of ethical breaches and the legality of disclosing student records, especially in the events of divorce and custody battles. Additionally, incidents of colleagues requesting confidential information and reports to child protective services were addressed in eight of forty-four written scenarios.

The most challenging ethical dilemmas reported by school guidance counselors pertained to student confidentiality, duty to report harm to self or others, ethical breaches by colleagues (including teachers), rights of parents to view students’ records, and dual relationships with students and/or faculty.

Of these five categories, 46% of participants reported student confidentiality of personal disclosures and 45% of participants stated that reporting intent to harm self or others were the most difficult issues. Parental rights and breach of confidentiality by colleagues were ranked similarly with 33-34% respectively. Only 19% of participants indicated that dual relationships with students or staff were a concern.

The most common occurrences of ethical dilemmas included confidentiality of student disclosures and records, reporting intent to harm, parental rights, and dual relationships. Sixty-seven percent of guidance counselors reported concerns for confidentiality of student disclosures.

Approximately one-third of participants indicated common occurrences of situations concerning student records and disclosing intent of self-harm or harm to others. Frequency of issues pertaining to parental rights and dual relationships were reported by approximately 20% of participants.

When comparing responses across the stated academic levels, it was determined that more middle school guidance counselors reported concerns surrounding dual relationships than either elementary or high school counselors.

Data from this study is consistent with concerns relating to patient confidentiality in the counseling community as a whole. Because of the gravity of these concerns, the American Counseling Association attempted to provide further guidance in the 2004 ethical codes (ACA, 2004).

Issues pertaining to confidentiality were addressed in sections A.2.g and B.1.a stating the primary obligation is to the student; however, parental rights concerning minor-aged children should be respected. School guidance counselors were also encouraged to build collaborative relationships with parents in an effort to provide optimal opportunities for student growth.

School guidance counselors are also tasked with protecting student confidentiality through the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (US Department of Education, 2015). FERPA guidelines define who may have access to student educational records and mandate annual notification to guardians of students. As with any therapeutic relationship, confidentiality may be broken in cases of abuse of children, imminent self-harm, or impending harm to others.

Only one-third of surveyed school guidance counselors contributed to this exploratory study which led to a very small sample population. Due to this, subgroups such as gender, ethnicity, and school locality were not equally represented. Additionally, only counselors in the state of Virginia were included in the study. Because state regulations vary, extending the range to include counselors from other states could have offered more insight to perceived challenges.

Another issue that may have affected participation is the method of gathering data. Survey packets were mailed to schools at varying times of the academic year; spring for elementary and middle school, fall for high school. Schedule testing was identified as a reason for surveying high school guidance counselors in the fall.

What Bodenhorn failed to realize is that elementary students and middle school students are also included in standardized testing. In smaller schools, guidance counselors are often used as test administrators and proctors, thus limiting time counselors would have to complete such questionnaires.

Additionally, fall is an extremely busy time for high school guidance counselors as many are tasked with creating student schedules. As an educator of over 25 years, it is this writer’s opinion that there isn’t “down time” for school guidance counselors at any academic level.

Privacy of student records continues to be a grey area as does the confidentiality of minor-aged clients, individual members of families and couples receiving counseling services.

Mental health professionals, regardless of the employing agency, are tasked with protecting their clients; this often includes maintaining confidential, detailed records of matters discussed between the client(s) and counselor. When marital discord and custody of minor children are involved, counselors and therapists are often plunked down in the middle of the melee.

Research on this particular dilemma indicates that there are discrepancies among state statutes regarding access to counseling records. This writer is familiar with the pressure associated with protecting the individual (student) while complying with legal demands. There is no “one-size-fits-all’ solution to this quandary.

As professionals, we have to scrutinize each situation carefully, confer with other professionals, and do what we feel is best for our clients.

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